When plotting an effective sign or advertisement, never neglect your typography. The right presentation can help your message stand out and get your points across better. If you’re looking for more effective ways to make your prints sing, here are a few design tips stressing the importance of typography on signage.
Consider Spacing
Choose typography that’s easy to read, and ensure it has proper spacing. Three terms to remember are tracking, kerning, and leading. Leading refers to the space between each line. Lines that are too close together can bleed into one another, interfering with readability, especially at a distance. The same goes for kerning, which controls the individual spaces between characters. Meanwhile, tracking refers to adjusting the horizontal spacing between letters uniformly. Use all these methods to ensure enough space to make the text readable without making it too tight or loose.
Think About Visibility
How well does the type stand out, especially against the color of the paper or background? When designing and choosing the typography, keep the following in mind. Scope out the site where the sign will hang, noting positioning and light levels throughout the day. Decide how well people can see the sign, and adjust the font choice, size, and layout accordingly. Consider where the reader will stand and what sort of view they’ll have too. Create mock-ups, and test them in the “wild” to ensure you’re using the right fonts for the job.
Communicate Your Branding
Readability and spacing are very important, but your messaging won’t work if it doesn’t reflect your brand. People must be able to look at a piece of your advertising and recognize you right away. Colors and logos are significant, but so is typography. Pick a font that reflects your brand’s features, your product or service, and the personality you’re trying to put across. An antique-looking font can suggest traditional values, while a more modern font can convey an edgier, futuristic vibe. Just be sure it’s easy to read on anything from a billboard to a business card.
Mix It Up
Here’s the last design tip stressing the importance of typography on signage. When it comes to fonts, there’s an embarrassment of riches out there. Try different combinations of fonts to bring variety and contrast to your signage and advertisements—but don’t get crazy! Most graphic designers suggest using no more than three different fonts in a piece. This will add variety without causing visual confusion. Try different mixes to see how they test with focus groups.
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